EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – SIUE men's and women's track and field closed out the final day of competition at the Ohio Valley Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championship on Saturday at Ralph Korte Stadium. Nyah Williams (triple jump) and Alexis Hutchins (shot put) highlighted the day with spots on the podium. In the awards ceremony, Savannah Sullivan was honored as the OVC Female Field Athlete of the Year.
The SIUE women's squad finished the weekend fifth, totaling 58 points. The men's team concluded the championship with 24 points for seventh place.
Williams collected third and set a PR with an 11.64m (38'9.75") leap in the triple jump. Izzy Kennedy also competed in the event and placed 11th at 11.01m (36'1.5"). In the men's high jump, Caden Belcher represented the men with a 12th place finish at 1.88m (6'2"). His leap tied his career best mark set earlier this season.
Hutchins also took the podium in the women's shot put with a second-place finish at 13.76m (45'1.75"). Maryiah Menicucci (12.48m/40'11.25"), Stephanie Montenegro (12.46m/40'10.5"), and Jamie Tabron (12.07m/39'10.25") also competed in the event.
Luke Hatten led the Cougars in the men's shot put with a 13.81m (45'3.75") toss for 11th place. Joel Degracia took 17th at 10.64m (34'11").
The men's 4x100m relay team of Bobby Nuzzo, Konrad Sacha, Tyler Bell, and Caden Belcher earned sixth place, crossing the finish line at 42.16. The women's 4x100m relay team of Vashanti Reynolds, Folasade Oladipupo, Kaylee Allen, and Priscilla Jones also took seventh at 47.37.
Freshman Konrad Sacha took on the 400m dash and turned in his fastest time of the season, finishing fifth with a 47.99 mark. Junior Kailah Carter also took fifth on the women's side of the 400m at 56.28.
Senior Bobby Nuzzo placed seventh in the men's 100m dash, crossing the finish line at 10.74. Nuzzo also competed in the men's 200m dash, placing sixth at 22.00.
Freshman Harper Smith finished seventh and set a season best mark in the women's high jump with a 1.60m (5'3") leap. Aseanti Boone also competed and finished 12th at 1.50m (4'11").
Junior Roland Prenzler led the Cougars in the men's 5,000m, placing fifth at 14:48.69. Tyler Guthrie (15:33.63), Zach Walters (15:58.25), and Jackson Edwards (16:55.26) also competed. On the women's side of the 5k, Kaitlyn Walker (13th/18:56.45) and Natalia Rodriguez (14th/19:05.54) finished back-to-back.
The men's 4x400m relay team of Caden Belcher, Taylor Lehman, Cole Knapp, and Chase Burston grabbed seventh place. The women's 4x400m relay team of Kailah Carter, Gabrielle Horton, Kaylee Allen, and Hanna Anderson collected fourth.
Male Track Athlete of the Year: Noah Hufnagel, Southern Indiana
Male Field Athlete of the Year: Dylan Clark, Southeast Missouri
Male Freshman of the Year: Khalid White, UT Martin
Male Athlete of the Championship: Noah Hufnagel, Southern Indiana
Men's Coach of the Year: Eric Crumpecker, Southeast Missouri
Female Track Athlete of the Year: Breanna Miles, Southeast Missouri
Female Field Athlete of the Year: Gabby Ayetifio, Little Rock; Savannah Sullivan, SIUE
Female Freshman of the Year: Clara Billing, Southeast Missouri; Serenity Harry, Tennessee State
Female Athlete of the Championship: Gabby Ayetifio, Little Rock
Women's Coach of the Year: Eric Crumpecker, Southeast Missouri
